How to advance your civil engineering career in 2023
It is undeniable that civil engineering is an exciting and potentially lucrative career path. Getting started in civil engineering will see you challenging yourself every day and learning new skills.
Yet as you settle into your career, it is easy to get comfortable and only apply the skills you learnt during the early stages. Of course, for some, this is fine. Yet others will want to advance as far as they can to develop a sense of achievement and contribute more to the field.
The start of every new year offers an opportunity to define career goals and create plans for how you are going to achieve them. In this article, we explore five of the top ways that you can advance your civil engineering career in 2025.
Choose a discipline you are interested in
Just because you started your career as a civil engineering generalist or picked one specialisation, that doesn’t mean you cannot change your focus or add more skills to your CV. The start of 2025 may be the perfect time to choose a new civil engineering discipline. Some of the most popular and in-demand disciplines include:
- Infrastructure Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Transportation Engineering
- Water Engineering
Earn new qualifications
Most civil engineers will require a degree to get their first job or to access a graduate scheme. However, for those that want to progress in their careers, pursuing more advanced qualifications can be a smart way to demonstrate your knowledge and competency.
For example, you may choose to complete a Master’s degree or PhD in a specialist area of civil engineering. Alternatively, you may seek a path to becoming a certified civil engineer through a professional organisation such as the Institution of Civil Engineers. Should you choose this route to advance your career, pay special attention to the institutes and awarding bodies that are widely recognised amongst the major civil engineering companies.
Use new technologies
Having skills and knowledge in the use of new technology is a wise way to make yourself more valuable in the eyes of employers. There are countless technologies to choose from - the best choice for you will depend on your interests, skills and role. For example, civil engineers involved with the visualisation and client presentation of projects may benefit from developing skills in virtual or augmented reality. These tools are already being employed to put stakeholders into digital realities, highlighting how projects will look and work once completed.
Demonstrate both hard and soft skills
As a civil engineer, it is often easy to identify the hard skills you need to progress in your career. For example, using new technologies, maths and physics, map reading, reviewing blueprints and CAD software are all hard skills that help engineers in do their job better.
Yet, soft skills are often overlooked as an essential part of progressing your career. For example, senior engineers will often have good communication, time management and leadership skills that help them better lead major projects to timelines and budgets.
Never stop learning
Once you progress a little way in your career, it can be easy to become comfortable. This is especially true when you achieve the formal qualifications which are widely accepted as those you need to progress. But in reality, civil engineering techniques are always developing. Meaning that civil engineers wanting to advance must stay on top of learning the latest trends and best practices within their field.
One way to do this is to join a professional body that offers training and a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) program. Alternatively, if you cannot find a fitting CPD program, you may decide to set up your own learning roadmap and run it by your manager.
Asia: The Perfect Next Step in Your Career?
If you are considering a career in civil engineering, or you are ready to take the next step in progressing your career, AtkinsRéalis ’s opportunities in Asia could be a smart way for you to benefit from a challenging, exciting and growing market. We are leaders in this space and have some great positions available. You can find out more about our job openings in India here.
Alternatively, if you want to keep on top of the latest roles, you can sign up for our talent community or our latest job alerts.
Interested? Find out more about life at AtkinsRéalis
Sign up to receive the latest content tailored to your interests
Our articles
.png)
Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/14/2025
Summary
Hello! I'm Rowen, a first-year apprentice rail signaling testing engineer. I started my career journey as a 16-year-old studying for A-levels while working overtime at a fast-food chain. Tired an

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/12/2025
Summary
If you’ve been thinking about how to stand out in your degree while gaining some hands-on knowledge and experience in the building or quantity surveying profession, then a placement might be jus

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/12/2025
Summary
I'm Matt, an Associate Director in the Project and Programme Services team at AtkinsRéalis. My Career Journey started in 2013 at the age of 19. I had finished college and had three options: keep

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/11/2025
Summary
Hello, I'm Alex, an assistant building surveyor in the Project and Programme Services team here in London. I help clients manage their assets by conducting condition surveys, advising on necessar

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/10/2025
Summary
With the construction market growing across certain sectors, it makes 2025 and beyond an excellent time to kickstart your Building Surveyor career. At AtkinsRéalis, we offer the perfect environme

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/04/2025
Summary
With an AtkinsRéalis apprenticeship, you’re in great company - our apprentices always have the opportunity to be part of a wide variety of projects that can leave a lasting legacy on the world ar

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
01/24/2025
Summary
You might find yourself wondering “Are placements and internships the same in the UK?” and that’s what we’re here to answer in this blog along with giving some extra insight. While both options c
+ver+2.png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
01/24/2025
Summary
Hello & salaam! I'm Fawziyah, a Degree Apprentice at AtkinsRéalis, currently on the Apprentice Consultant Development Programme and pursuing a degree in project management. As an early careers

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
01/22/2025
Summary
Engineering, design, and project management are exciting areas to work in. Whether you work in an engineering, technical, or a non-engineering role, they are sectors that offer an enormous bread

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
01/13/2025
Summary
Hi, my name's Tom. I've recently finished studying engineering, maths and biology at college and I am one of the new advanced apprentices at AtkinsRéalis. Growing up, my favorite pastimes were Le
Related jobs
We are sorry but we currently have no jobs in this area.
Continue browsing to look at our other available opportunities
Equality, diversity & inclusion
We're devoted to growing the diversity of our people, promoting and inclusive culture, providing everyone with an equal voice because simply put, it's the right thing to do.
Find out more